A brand new series from the bestselling author of A Christmas Promise. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn. For the ordinary people of Empire Street, life will never be the same again.Kitty Fisher has plenty on her plate to keep her busy. Since her mother died when she was just a child, she s cooked, cleaned and scraped to make ends meet for her drunken father and her headstrong brothers.Rita Kennedy, living with her husband under the roof of his spiteful mother-in-law, is desperate for their own home. Perhaps that will help them get their marriage back on the rails again?For the two women and others like them on Liverpool s dockside and across the whole country, the threatening clouds of war will bring heartache and tragedy. It will take courage and the bonds of family and friends to help them see this through."
From the author of ‘The Grafton Girls’ comes the story of one Liverpool family preparing for the onslaught of World War Two, while trying not to fight among themselves.
The thrilling new book from Sheila Riley in her Liverpool Saga series 1916 LIVERPOOL Following the death of her father, Ruby Swift, and husband Archie finally move back into Ashland Hall. As the Great War rages, fathers and sons take the King's Shilling and head off to fight the unknown enemy, not knowing what horrors lie ahead. With Ned Kincaid in the Navy, Archie signs up to the volunteer constabulary and nurses Anna Cassidy and Ellie Harrington enlist to do their bit for King and Country. Soon the true casualties of war are being brought home in droves, Ruby converts Ashland Hall into an auxiliary hospital for wounded servicemen. It’s not long before the true cost of war is brought closer to home and Anna and Ellie enlist in the British Military Nursing Corp and soon find themselves in the battlefields of France in search of the truth. But they soon discover more than they bargained for... Praise for Sheila Riley: 'A powerful and totally absorbing family saga that is not to be missed. I turned the pages almost faster than I could read.' Carol Rivers 'A fabulous story of twists and turns - a totally unputdownable, page turner that had me cheering on the characters. I loved it!' Rosie Hendry 'A thoroughly enjoyable, powerful novel' Lyn Andrews 'An enchanting, warm and deeply touching story' Cathy Sharp 'Vivid, compelling and full of heart. Sheila is a natural-born storyteller.' Kate Thompson 'This author knows the Liverpool she writes about; masterly storytelling from a true Mersey Mistress.' Lizzie Lane
Winter, Liverpool 1947. Evie Kilgaren is a fighter. Abandoned by her mother and with her father long gone, she is left to raise her siblings in dockside Liverpool, as they battle against the coldest winter on record. But she is determined to make a life for herself and create a happy home for what’s left of her family. Desperate for work, Evie takes a job at the Tram Tavern under the kindly watch of pub landlady, and pillar of the community, Connie Sharp. But Connie has problems of her own when her quiet life of spinsterhood is upturned with the arrival of a mysterious undercover detective from out of town. When melting ice reveals a body in the canal, things take a turn for the worst for the residents of Reckoner’s Row. Who could be responsible for such a brutal attack? And can Evie keep her family safe before they strike again? A gritty, historical family drama full of laughter and tears from the author of Annie Groves’ bestsellers including Child of the Mersey and Christmas on the Mersey. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries, Katie Flynn and Dilly Court. ‘I found The Orphan Daughter a thoroughly enjoyable, powerful novel set against the background of a war-battered city still struggling against austerity, rationing, the black market and poverty. A fast paced story-line and believable characters added to the authenticity of what I am sure will be the beginning of a series of successful books for Sheila Riley.’ Lyn Andrews ‘An enchanting, warm and deeply touching story about a brave young girl fighting against injustice. Loved it and look forward to her next book.’ Cathy Sharp, author of the best-selling Orphans of Halfpenny Street. ## What readers are saying about The Mersey Orphan: ‘Oh what a wonderful story this is. I enjoyed every bit of Evies story suffering lots of traumas and struggles in her life. This book will definitely keep you reading on chapter after chapter I really enjoyed it, and looking forward to more from this author. A beautiful family saga.’ ‘Excellent story with characters that pull at your heartstrings.’ ‘Powerful, emotional and intense, The Orphan Daughter has at its heart a fantastic heroine readers will root for and a cast of brilliantly nuanced characters it is impossible not to care about. Written straight from the heart, The Orphan Daughter is a must-read for saga fans everywhere!’ ‘A really heart warming read for the winter months. Lovely characters, richly drawn and well rounded.’ ‘From the first page I was hooked. I’ve loved reading this fabulous story.’ Praise for Sheila Riley: ‘A powerful and totally absorbing family saga that is not to be missed. I turned the pages almost faster than I could read.’ Carol Rivers ‘A fabulous story of twists and turns - a totally unputdownable, page turner that had me cheering on the characters. I loved it!’ Rosie Hendry ‘A thoroughly enjoyable, powerful novel’ Lyn Andrews ‘An enchanting, warm and deeply touching story’ Cathy Sharp ‘Vivid, compelling and full of heart. Sheila is a natural-born storyteller.’ Kate Thompson ‘This author knows the Liverpool she writes about; masterly storytelling from a true Mersey Mistress.’ Lizzie Lane
When trouble looms, family becomes more important than ever... In The Wild Child, Anne Baker writes a touching saga of two sisters overcoming their differences to face the future together. Perfect for fans of Lyn Andrews and Dilly Court. Raising her daughters alone, widowed Flora Wilcox often feels out of her depth. There's no problem with mousy Hilary, but Isobel is a wayward beauty who can never forgive her plainer sister for stealing her boyfriend, and will be pregnant before she marries. Worse, the father of Isobel's baby isn't her new husband - and when the truth comes out, her marriage is likely to hit the rocks. Hilary's life seems to be moving along more calmly, until her husband is badly injured in an accident. And, as she takes charge of his business, Hilary also faces the discovery that her adored children are struggling at school. There's hope if the sisters can pull together at last - but can they ever put the past behind them? What readers are saying about The Wild Child: 'Very good book, didn't want to put it down once started. This is the same with all books by Anne Baker... She keeps me riveted'
From award-winning author Deborah Heiligman comes Torpedoed, a true account of the attack and sinking of the passenger ship SS City of Benares, which was evacuating children from England during WWII. Amid the constant rain of German bombs and the escalating violence of World War II, British parents by the thousands chose to send their children out of the country: the wealthy, independently; the poor, through a government relocation program called CORB. In September 1940, passenger liner SS City of Benares set sail for Canada with one hundred children on board. When the war ships escorting the Benares departed, a German submarine torpedoed what became known as the Children's Ship. Out of tragedy, ordinary people became heroes. This is their story. This title has Common Core connections.
